Magna Graecia is a collection of terracotta objects designed by Antonio Aricò for Seletti and presented at Maison&Objet in January 2023. The name refers to the Greek cities of Southern Italy, and the pieces draw on their vocabulary: capitals, meander friezes, waves, antique busts, and amphora...
Magna Graecia is a collection of terracotta objects designed by Antonio Aricò for Seletti and presented at Maison&Objet in January 2023. The name refers to the Greek cities of Southern Italy, and the pieces draw on their vocabulary: capitals, meander friezes, waves, antique busts, and amphorae with battle scenes. Aricò chose terracotta for its ordinariness—"a seemingly very poor material, with which one can create magic," he told designboom—as well as for its raw color and the irregularity of its thicknesses, which he embraces rather than corrects. The pieces are formed in handmade molds, which explains why no two are exactly identical: the shade and surface texture vary from one piece to the next. The designer intends them as much for a terrace, garden, or veranda as for a living room or entryway. However, Seletti does not provide any information regarding glazing, frost resistance, or water-tightness; for outdoor use, a sheltered location remains the prudent choice. All pieces in the series share the same clay, allowing them to be grouped together without worrying about variations in finish.
This particular piece is the pink version. It is wall-mounted. Dimensions: 32 × 32 × H 8 cm.
Where the design comes from
Magna Graecia refers to the cities founded by Greek colonists on the coasts of Southern Italy and Sicily starting in the 8th century BCE. Aricò, who was born and is based in Calabria, draws from this source motif by motif: the Dorico vase cites the Doric order, the Greca vase the meander frieze, the Onda vase the outline of a wave, the statues recall the Riace bronzes, and the head vases revive the tradition of Caltagirone ceramic heads. The capital, meanwhile, no longer supports anything: it serves as a base or pedestal. The collection forms an archaeological repertoire treated without solemnity, which the publisher promotes as a piece of contemporary irony.
